


Just Like You

by journeycat



Category: PIERCE Tamora - Works, Protector of the Small - Tamora Pierce, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Cousins, Family Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-13
Updated: 2015-09-13
Packaged: 2018-04-20 12:38:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4787546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/journeycat/pseuds/journeycat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merric and Faleron as children, sharing everything from toys to dreams.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Like You

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Malorie's Peak Prompt #40: Holiday.

It was a very, very long ride from Hollyrose to King’s Reach, especially for a brood of young children who also happened to be, to their parents’ chagrin, enthusiastically energetic. As the eldest of his siblings, it was Merric’s duty to set a good example for them to follow, but how could he? It was Midwinter, by Mithros (though he certainly didn’t say that one out loud, because his father was terribly strict about swearing), and he was going to spend a whole two weeks on the huge, sprawling estate of his mother’s house.

He was also going to spend two weeks with his favorite cousin, who was a whole year his senior at seven-years-old. Faleron was certainly a more suitable companion for Merric than his annoying younger siblings.

Uncle Hamrath was there to greet them in the courtyard when they arrived. He was a tall, dark man with a perpetual scowl, who would have been intimidating if Merric had known him as anything other than his amiable uncle. Hamrath endured his sister’s flurry of kisses with the same kind of resigned patience that Merric himself also felt, and swept all of the children up in a hug.

“Keep them,” Meri said dramatically, “keep them all! Nothing but wicked children, the lot of them!” Still, she ran affectionate fingers through Merric’s hair, which he allowed, since Faleron wasn’t around.

“Why would I want yours, when I have plenty of wicked ones myself? Come, let’s go greet the Countess.”

Everyone called Isadora “the Countess,” because she was simply that kind of woman: imposing, steely, matriarchal, kind in her own way. She was waiting for them in the sitting room, and rose when they entered. Beside her, Faleron quickly jumped up as well. 

“Welcome home, Merisa,” Isadora said, kissing her cheek. “And it’s nice to see you again, Jerris. Oh, look at how much your children have grown.”

She reached out one jeweled hand and patted Merric’s cheek. He hated when she did that, because her rings were cold and sharp and his mother patted his face enough as it was. Faleron caught his gaze and rolled his eyes. Then, as though suddenly remembering, he stepped forward and said formally,

“Welcome home, Aunt Merisa and Uncle Jerris. It is our pleasure to have you in our house.”

“Look at you, Fal,” Meri exclaimed, clapping her hands. “You’re so grown up now.”

“I’m trying,” Isadora sighed. “But he has a long, long way to go.”

Faleron glared balefully up at her, ever chomping at his mother’s bit, but Merric couldn’t hold back and he finally burst out, “Cousin, can we _please_ go see your new horse?”

Instantly Faleron perked up. “Come on,” he said eagerly. “I’ll show him to you! I named him Thunderdragon.”

He ran out, Merric closely at his heels with the sound of indulgent adult chuckles behind them. He thought in awe, _Thunderdragon. That’s the cleverest name I’ve ever heard_.

Those two weeks passed by much too fast, with Faleron showing off his first horse for Merric to admire, and Merric told his mother that he should have a horse, too, not a stupid pony. They put frogs in their sisters’ beds and hid their dolls and played pranks on the servants and snuck sweets when the cook wasn’t looking. He slept in Faleron’s bed, and they whispered to each other at night about silly things. It was during one of those conversations that Faleron confessed he wanted to become a knight, saving damsels and killing bandits.

Merric decided right then and there that he, too, should become a knight, just like Fal.


End file.
